Celebrate Nonfiction

Exploring the Joy of Nonfiction Reading and Writing

Teaching Science with Kidlit: NGSS Performance Expectation 1-LS1-1, Part 4

1-LS1-1. Use materials to
design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use
their external parts to help them survive, grow,
and meet their needs. [Clarification Statement:
Examples of human problems that can be solved by mimicking plant or animal
solutions could include designing clothing or equipment to protect bicyclists
by mimicking turtle shells, acorn shells, and animal scales; stabilizing
structures by mimicking animal tails and roots on plants; keeping out intruders
by mimicking thorns on branches and animal quills; and, detecting intruders by
mimicking eyes and ears.]

So
far, we’ve looked at three ways of addressing the animal portion of this PE,
but don’t forget the plants. There aren’t as many great plant books out there
as I’d like, but here are some suggestions for a lesson that focuses on how a
plant’s parts help it live, grow, and make more plants.

Jack’s
Garden
by Henry Cole

 

Plant
Secrets
by Emily Goodman

 

The Curious Garden by
Peter Brown

No Monkeys, No Chocolate by
Melissa Stewart

Activity 1

Invite your students
to create visual acrostic poems that describe how a plant’s parts help it
survive. Here’s an example:

P [picture of a pea flower]

L  [picture of leaf
collecting sunlight]

A  [picture of an apple
cut in half to show seeds]

N  [picture of nut]

T  [picture of water
moving up the trunk of a tall tree]

When the students are
done, you can post their poems on a bulletin board.

Activity 2

Use Google
Images to find an illustration of a plant that has lovely flowers and an
extensive root system. Divide the class into two groups. Group A will pretend
to be the plant’s flowers. Group B will pretend to be the roots. Encourage
Group A to act as though they are proud of being so beautiful. Ask them what
they think of the roots? Are they as lovely or important? Invite Group B to try
to convince the flowers that a plant’s roots are just as important as its
flowers. As the groups converse with one another, encourage them to back up
their statements with evidence from the books they read. 

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